The Nibbana Family

Here are two.

Help!

Every once in a while something happens that renews your faith in the kindness of others. Today, we experienced one such event.

While running errands today at the grocery store we realized at the worst moment in the checkout line that we had brought the wrong bank card. As often happens, we had gone specifically to pick up a couple of items, including some shrimp scampi that Chuck had his heart set on. We realized we had brought the wrong bank card just as the cashier finished ringing our items and impatiently waited for us to get our act together while we were holding up the line behind us. We decided to put a couple of items back which were most expensive, namely, Chuck’s shrimp scampi. I could sense Chuck’s disappointment as we finished checking out and began heading towards the car.

As we crossed the parking lot, the gentleman who was behind us in line tapped Chuck on the shoulder and handed us the box of shrimp! He said that he had been in a similar situation before and someone had done the same for him and he wanted to pass on the goodwill. Needless to say, his act of kindness made our day.

These are the moments in your life that remind you that the world is full of magnanimity.

This year, we started a vegetable (and fruit) garden.  One of the plants I was most excited about was tomatoes.  I haven’t grown tomatoes since I was very small, but I love to eat them!  We planted two large pots in May, and they are HUGE!  There are many tiny green tomatoes growing.

The tomatoes in the pictures are roma (oblong) and celebrity (round).  Roma tomatoes are good for canning and sauce, but I will attest that they taste great raw!  Celebrity tomatoes are more of an all-purpose hybrid.  They are supposed to be easy to grow, and so far, I would have to say that is true.

One of the best things about having fresh tomatoes is using them in a cold pasta salad.  Tomatoes, pasta, olive oil, garlic, basil, and a bit of parmesan cheese make for a tasty summer dish.  Mmmmmmmm!

It is such a relief to be done for two whole months!

This school year was stressful.  It was my first year teaching with Howard County, so I had to figure out a new curriculum and all of the ways the new school works (each school system has a different way of doing things).  I also had a room that was next to the school computer lab, which was convenient but also presented some unique challenges.  Our school was designed with open spaces and retractable walls which aren’t exactly soundproof, so several months of the year when they conduct testing in the lab I had to vacate my room and teach from a mobile cart.  It’s rougher than it sounds; when you can’t count on a classroom and have to make constant last minute changes and signs to direct your students, it eventually wears on you. Good thing I’m flexible!

Last summer was my first summer off. Previously I taught summer school, which takes at least a month out of the summer and is usually right in the middle of the break.  Last summer we had our condo on the market so we had to keep the place immaculate, which doesn’t lend itself to much relaxation.  When it finally went under contract, we had to continue keeping it clean in case something fell through while also packing up.  In the last few weeks of summer, we moved in with Mom, but then I had to look for a new job.  Basically, last summer was very busy.

This summer is different.  After a new roof derailed our vacation plans, I recently realized I have NO plans this summer!  I will soon start up a summer calandar, so I can keep track of playdates and programs at the library.  We also plan to spend a lot of time at pool.  It’s going to be a great summer!

It’s nice to have a day to celebrate Moms!

We invited Mom, Rita (a family friend) and Sophia, my sister, over for a Mother’s Day brunch.  I made a fruit salad and whipped cream and Chuck went all out with bacon, eggs, and french toast.  It was a wonderful excuse to have family over and to savor a scrumptious meal with some wonderful people!

Mother’s Day, along with a lot of other holidays, is characterized by being too commercialized.  Often people feel the need to buy a card, buy flowers, and/or buy a gift.  In fact, Anna Jarvis, who campaigned for the creation of Mother’s Day, became disillusioned with the holiday less than a decade after the first official celebration.  “I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit,” Jarvis complained, dismissing greeting cards as “a poor excuse for the letter you are too lazy to write.”

Today, we didn’t buy a card or a gift, and beyond the food we did not spend money at all.  I think I can say with confidence that my Mom, Rita, and Sophia saw how much they were loved and appreciated!